A 'medical calamity' was declared following the discovery over eighty Dutch sperm donors were found to have fathered at least 25 children each.
The news has brought to light the real genetic and ethical risk factors that arise from sperm donors being too generous — with the risk of incest-related health issues being a very real problem, in small, densely populated countries like the Netherlands.
Josephine Johnston is a bioethicist, lawyer and Associate Professor at the University of Otago where she teaches medical law and medical ethics.
She speaks with Mihi about how sperm-donation safeguards are implemented in NZ.
Photo: 123RF
